woolson



y 7,1929. L. M. WOOLSON 712,466

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed April 7, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l Woolsom May 7, 1929. L. M. WOOLSON INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed April '7, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 vent above radial/701M l ronz Man/7 1% w h 6 w w W 8 1 0 u 6 W M a w I 2 7 7 lm/w v 5 W L i 4 i a 2 f I N w 9 H .H s I 4v 9 R/./ i z w 8 z m 0 1 m u lion-e1 MIWooZSowu (11130! new Patented May '7', 1929.

ATEN oFFicE.

LIONEL "M. VIOOLSON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T PACKARD MOTOR CAR COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN", A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

INTERN AL-GOMBUSTION EN GINE- Application filed April 7,

This invention relates to internal combustion engines, and particularly to the means for forming and heating the mixture supplied tothe cylinders of the engine.

One of the objects of the present inven tion is to provide such etficient mixture forming and heating means that the engine may be started and run when cold with practically the same carburetor mixture as is used when the engine is hot.

Another object is to provide fuel vapor forming means for a combustion heater for obtaining quicker starting of the heater.

Another object is to provide vapor forming means for a combustion heater so connected to the engine that some of the vapor will reach the engine cylinders and be nred therein.

, from a vacuum tankwithout further mechanism than is contained in the vacuum tank itself. -Another object is to provide a combus- .tioir heater with muiliing means for the air inlet.

(Ether objects will. appear from the following description taken in connection w1t h the drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in vhich: q

Fig. 1 is a comprehensive view, largely in section. and partly in diagram, illustrating an internal combustion engine and the various parts that go to make up the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an. enlarged sectional View through the combustion heater part of the invention shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a transverse section substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 2. v r 7 Referring to the drawings, 10 represents the. cylinder block of an internal combustion engine which may be a single cylinder is or a multi-cylinderengine. mional parts of the engine are the pie;

Other 1924. Serial No. 704,555.

ton 11, the connecting rod 12, the detachable head 13, the spark plug 14 for igniting the charge, an intake port 15, the intake valve 16 for controlling the port, the spring 17 'which closes the valve 16, and the intake conduit or manifold 18 which supplies the engine cylinder with mixture from the carburetor. The carburetor is illustrated generally at 19 and it is connected to the intake conduit 18 by one or more bolts 20. The throttle valve 21 controls the passage of mixture from the carburetor to the intake conduit.

The carburetor is of conventional form and comprises a float chamber 22 which is supplied from a pipe 23 and the level within which is controlled by a float 24 and suitable valve mechanism not shown. The fuel nozzle of the carburetor is indicated at 25 and it communicates with the float chamber 22 through a passage 26. The carburetor main air inlet is shown at 27, controlled by a choke Valve 28, and delivering air through a Venturi tube 29. which surrounds the fuel nozzle 25. An auxiliary air inlet is shown at controlled by a valve 31, closed by a spring 32. The operation of the carburetor to supply mixture to the mixing chamber 33 is thought to be well known. The mixture is drawn past the throttle 2 1 and through the intake conduit 18 to the engine cylinders by the suction caused when the pistons move downwardly therein.

A vacuum tank of the well known Stewart type is indicated generally at 3-1. It comprises an outer tank 35 and an inner tank 36. The outer tank is always vented through a passage 37 and pipe 38 and the lower part of this tank is connected to the carburetor 19 by means of the pipe 23 hereinabove referred to. Thus there is always gravity flow of gasoline or other liquid fuel from the tank 35 to the float chamber 22 oft-he carburetor l9, and the float in said chamber maintains the level therein slightly below the top of the fuel nozzle 25.

The upper part of the inner tank 36 has a connection with the intake conduit 18 of the engine through a pipe 39 and a port '40 and a supply pipe 41 connects the upper part of said tank 36 with the main supply tank, not shown in the drawing. Further, the upper part of said inner tank 36 is vented through a port. {l2 which connects with the passage 37 through the port but being adapted to li uid and pipe 38. A iis port 12 is controlled by a. valve 43 and the port 1-0 is controlled by a valve A. Said valves 43 and 44' are intermittently operated by afloat mechanism within the tank 36. Two oppositely extending levers 45 and 46 are pivoted at d7 inside of the tank '36 and a spring 48 connects the outer ends ot' these levers as shown in the drawing. A third lever 49 is pivoted at 50 and a. connecting link 51 connects the levers 46 and 49. A float 52 for operating the valves arranged in the tank 36 and is pivotally connected to the lever 49 as at At the bottom of the tank 36 an outlet 55 covered by a flap valve which operates by gravity to control the outlet or port 55 this valve permitting liquid to tlow outwardly qnqt and close the port 55 when'tl is suction hin the tank 36. In Fig lithe vacuum shown with the dentin its uppermost position and the level oi: the liquid in the tanks 05 and 36 is substantially on the line In tl 18 is pull- 3 upwardly on the lever 45 and this lever consequently holds the valve 4% closed and the valve 43 open so that the tank 36 is disconnected from the intake manifold suction andis vented through the port 4-2. This will cause the liquid in the tank 36 to to the"; nk 35 as soon as some of the is erawn from the latter tank. As the l piid flows out of the tank 36 the float 52' will oicourse drop and pull the lever 45,9 down with i This will also pull the lever 46 downwardly so thatthe spring {l8 will nap across the pivot l7 and draw the lever .lownwardly. This downward movement he lever will cause the valve 13 to close the. vent port 4-2 and at the same time it ill withc. the "valve a l from the port 40. In this posit i of the valves the vent or the l. tank is rinsed. and the suction connection to the intake manifold or conduit. is opened. This of course creates suction or a reduc of pressure in the t: to draw a supply of liquid tron piped}. from the main suoply tank and the operation of the devices hen repeated.

6 The conilmstion heater or i tielizer oi the indicated generally at 58.

It in elevation in Fig. 1 and in V i2 and 3. It comprises a l chanib 59 having one or sev outlets ports 60 to the intake conduit 18 the throttle valve 21. Thus the full .tion oi? the intake conduit communh to the combustion chamber 59 of the A spark plug 61 is arranged preterably in the lower part of the chamber 59 and a suitable glass indow 62 may be prov' led as shown particularly in Fig. 2. This wudow is for observing how the heater is firing.

A muliled air inlet for the combustion engine "is ii; 36 v "rich is si'ifiicicnt V chamber is indicated at 63 and this air inlet comprises an inner tube 64L and two outer tubes 65 and 66 which .are closed at both ends. The outer tube 65 has a series of open- 67 adjacent inner one and the tube 66 has a. series of openings 68. This permits the passage of air by a circuitous route through the openings 67, though the passage between the outer part of the tube 64 and the tube 65, through the tube 6d, through the passage between the inner part of the tube 64 and the tube 66, and then through the ports or open'higs 68 into the combustion chamber. This arrangement oi air )assagcs suitably nuu'lles the. roar that would otherwise be heard from the operation of the combustion heater.

A fuel receptacle in the form ota tube or elongated cup 69 is mounted in the combustron chamber, being shown as having a flange 70 which secured as by screws 71 to 69 is a lateral opening 7 3. In fact there are several oit'these openings 73 sligthly above the closed bottom of the tube. Arranged within the tube is an electric heating element or resistance wire 74- which is grounded at 75 on the head block 72 and the other end of which is insulated by and extends through a plug 76 threaded into the head block 72. This heating coil is suitably connected with a batt ry and switch as will be hereinafter described.

lilounted in the headblock 7 2 is the means for feeding liquid fuel to'the receptacle 6? or to the combustion heater and this means comprises a. well 77 formed in the head block well 77. The well 77 is vented by a pipe 83,

which runs to a pointabove the highestlevel of liquid 1n the vacuum tank or up )roximately to the top of the vacuum tank, as

shown in Fig. 1. This permits the well 77 to fill up tot-he some level as that inthe vacuum. tank when theoutlet79 is closed and the engine is stopped.

The outlet 79 from the well 77 is' controlled by a valve S r which hasa piston part mounted in a cylindrical recess 86into which the passage 79 opens.- The recess 86 I openings 73 into the combustion chamber of the heater or fu'elizer.

The recess 86 is closed by a cap 92 which detachably' secured to the head block 72 as by the screws 98. The upper part of the recess 86, above the piston portion 85 of the valve, is connected by a pipe 90 with the intake conduit of the engine beyond the throttle valve as shown at 91, in both Figs. 1 and 2. Thus when the engine is running or is operated by the electric starting motor the suction in the intake conduit is communicated to the upper part of the recess 86 above the piston 85 and the valve 8% is thereby lifted from its seat and the passage 79 from the well 77 is opened, thus permitting the gasoline or other liquid fuel to flow from the well 77 through the passages 79 and 89 into the cup 69. The well forms an initial supply reservoir for producing a rich-mixture for the combustion heater when starting the engine.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, an electric starting motorfor the internal combustion engine is indicated diagrammatically at 94 and a battery is shown at 95. 96 and 97 are grounds and 98 is a switch'in the line 99 which extends to the starting motor. A conductor 100 is connected between the line 99 and the terminal 101 of the electric heating element 741, and the latter element is grounded on the engine at 75 as hereinabove described. Thus the electric heating element is in parallel with the starting 'motor so that when the starting switch 98 is closed to turn the engine over the electric heating element 7-1 is energized. As soon as the ennine starts the switch 98 opened and the Cil live.

starting motor 94- automatically disconnects and the heat-mg element 74 becomes inac- Tn operation, with the engine cold, the starting switch 98 will be closed and the starting motor 9d will turn the engine over slowly thus creating a partial vacuum in the intake conduit 18. The vacuum tank is either full or a few revolutions of the engine will pull some gasoline into the vacuum tank from the main supply tank, and some of this gasoline will fiow through the pipe 23 into the carlmretor 19. lVith this gasoline the carburetor 19 will produce a mixture which will be drawn into the intake manitold 18 past the slightly openthrot-tle valve 21, but this wiil'be a cold mixture and will be difficult to igniteinthe engine. The richinains closed.

ness of this mixture may be regulated by adjusting the tension of the spring 82 of the carburetor.

The well 77 of the combustion heater will be tilled with gasoline up to the same level that in the vacuum tank 35 and the valve 84 will be closed until the engine is turned over. The suction thus createdin the intake manifold 18 will be communicated to the piston 85 through the pipe 90 and the valve 8 will be lifted from its seat. This permits some. of the gasoline in the well 7 7 to run down over the electric heating element 74 and into the cup 69. The closing 01" the starting switch 98 has also energized the heating element 74 and the gasoline in the cup 69 is thereby immediately vaporized, this vapor passing through the openings 78, some of which are very close to the spark plug 61, into the combustion chamber of the combustion heater'where it mixes with the air which enters through the muii'led air intake 68. A partial vacuum is created in the combustion chamber 59 due to the fact taat through the openings 60 the chamber is in communication with the imake manifold 18 beyond the throttle valve 21, and some of this gasoline vapor is immediately drawn into the engine cylinder. The turning over oi the engine has operated its ignition mechanism and the spark plug 61, therefore, which is connected to the engine ignition mechanism, produces a spark within the combustion chamber 59 and the vaporized gasoline and air therein Forms such mixture that will be ignited by said spark. A torch-like eliect is produced by reason of the suction through the openings 60, gasoline continuing to enter from the well 77, with some air through the vent 87, and with additional air through the air inlet 68. The heating. element 7 4.- continues to vaporize this gasoline and a rich burning mixture is produced as long as the starting switch 98 re- This combustion in the chamber 59 heats the wall between the chamber and the adjacent mixture passage thus heating some of the mixture'irom the carburetor 19. The burnt products of combustion passing through the openings 60 into the intake conduit 18 further heat the incoming mixture and dilute it to such an e. out that it is highly explosive. This highly explosive vmixture soon reaches the engine and is there fired startin the en ine on its 0 cle c y :3 zi or operation. The gasoline vapor which sometimes comes directly from the cup 69 without being fired also assists in the initial operation of the engine. As the engine starts the switch 98 is opened by the operator and the starting motor automatically disconnects from the engine. This action also breaks the current flowing through-the heating element 7 a but by this time the combustion heater has itself begun crates with less int to heat the tube or cup 69 and its contents and thereafter the liquid fuel that enters from the passage 89 is heated by the combustion heater itself. Also, the supply of gasoline in the well 77 has by this time about he come exhausted and a lesser quantity of gasoline is thereafter fed to the combustion heater by reason. of the restricted inlet passage 78. This liquid feed is su antially constant because it under gravity pressure only due to the vent 87 in the recess 86 and the vent 83 in the well 77.

As long as the engine continues to run the spark (31 is of course operating and the combustion heater continues to perform its heating function. As the throttle valve 21 is opened the suction through the combustion heater becomes less and it consequently opensity.

lVhen the engine is stopped, as by cutting elf its ignition, the suction in the intake cenduit ceases and the valve 84L drops to its seat and closes the pass ge Tl. The combustion heater thereby ceases to function and the well 77 proceeds to slowly fill up to the level. of the vacuum tank so that it will be ready to supply an initially rich mixture for the next start.

lVhile I have herein described in somedetail a specific embodiment of my invention, which I deem to be new and advantageous and may specifically claim, I do not desire it to be understood that my invention is hmited to the exact details of the construction,

In an internal combustion engine, the

of a combustion heater having its outlet connected to said conduit, :1 fuel feeding means and means for actuating the fuel f eding means connected to the intake conduit between the combustion heater and the engine. 7 In an internal con'ibustion engine, the combination with the intake conduit thereof, of curb" tor for supplying mixture to said conduit, a vacuum tank for supply liquid fuel to said carburetor, a combustion heater connected to said conduit, and means, independent of the carburetor, for supplying said combustion heater from vacuum tank. 7

l. In an internal combustion en ine, the combination ith the intake conduit thereof, of a combustion. heater connected to said 1 l Sillfr tion with. the intake conduit thereof,-

conduit, means for feeding liquid fuel to said heater, and means controlling said feeding means comprising a suction line to the intake conduit intermediate said heater and engine.

5. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with the intake conduit ther of, of a combustion heater connected to said. conduit comprising an electric heating unit for initially heating the liquid fuel for the combustion heater, and means for heating the liquid fuel for the combustion heater by the operation of the heater itself after the heater has started to function, said latter heating means operating on the liquid fuel at substantially the same point in the heater as the former heating means.

6. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with the intake conduit and the throttle valve therein, of a combustion heater having its outlet connected to said conduit beyond the throttle valve, and means connected with the intake conduit for controlling the feed of liquid fuel to the heater.

7. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with the intake conduit and the throttle valve therein, of a combustion heater connected to said conduit beyond the throttle valve, fuel feeding means for the combustion heater, and a suction control connection for said means independent of the connection of the heater to the intake conduit.

S. A combustion heater comprising a liquid fuel well having an outletto the heater chamber and having an inlet smaller than the outlet, a valve for said outlet, and suction means for controlling said valve.

9. A combustion heater comprising a liquid fuel well having an outlet to the heater chamber and having an inlet smaller than the outlet, avalve'for said outlet, and suction means independent of the pressure in the heater chamber for controlling said valve. 7

10. A combustion heater comprising a combustion chamber, a vented fuel well above said chamber having an outlet'into said chamber and having an inlet smaller than the outlet, and valve means for said outlet.

11. A combustion heater comprising chamber, a vented fuel well in the top of the chamber having an outlet to said chamber and having an inletfor the liquid fuel, and a valve for said outlet.

12. In an internal combus ion engine, the combination of a suction operated combus tion heater, a feed valve for said heater, a suction control means for said feed valve, and a suction operated liquid fuel supply device connected to said feeding means.

13. In an internal combustion engine, the

combinationwith the intake conduit thereof,

of a combustion heater, a feed valve for said conduit to the combustion heater, the feed valve, and the supply device.

14:. A combustion heater comprising a combustion chamber, means for feeding liquid fuel to said chamber, means for admitting filtered air with said fuel, means for vaporizing said fuel within the chamber before ignition, means for mufliing air into the chamber, means for igniting the vaporized fuel and air within the chamber, and means associated with said vaporizing means for pro-vaporizing the liquid fuel by the operation of the heater itself after ignition has started.

15. In an internal combustion engine, the

above the highest liquid level in said vacuum tank.

16. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of. a vacuum tank, a combustion heater having a liquid fuel supply well, a pipe connection from said tank'to said Well to supply fuel to the latter, said well having a vent above the highest liquid level in said vacuum tank, and a valve cont-rolling the outlet of liquid from said well to the chamber of said heater.

1?. A combustion heater having a combustion chamber, a spark plug for igniting the mixture therein, a fuel cup extending into the chamber and having outlet openings adjacent its lower end, and means for feeding fuel into said cup.

18. A combustion heater having a combustion chamber, a spark plug for igniting the mixture therein, a fuel cup extending into the chamber and having an outlet adjacent its lower end, an electric heating element in said cup, and means for feeding liquid fuel into said cup.

19. A combustion heater comprising a combustion chamber, a spark plug therein, a fuel cup arranged in said chamber and havin a side outlet oaenin ad'acent said spark plug, and means for feeding liquid fuel to said cup.

20. A combustion heater comprising a combustion chamber, a spark plug therein, a fuel cup arranged in said chamber and havin a side outlet opening adjacent said spark plug, an electric heating element ar ranged in said cup, and means for feeding liquid fuel to said cup.

21. A combustion heater comprising a combustion chamber, an elongated fuel cup arranged vertically therein, said cup having an outlet opening into the chamber adjacent the lower end of the cup, an elongated heating element extending downwardly into said cup, and liquid fuel feeding means for said cup.

A combustion heater comprising a combustion chamber, a spark plug therein,

a fuel receptacle extending into the chamber 7 and having an outlet opening to the chamber adjacent one end of the receptacle, an electric heating element extending into said receptacle, and a liquid fuel Well arranged above said receptacle and having a valved passage arranged to discharge into said receptacle.

A combustion heater comprising a combustion chamber, a spark plug therein, a fuel receptacle extending into the chamher and having an .outlet opening to the chamber adjacent one end of the receptacle, an electric heating element extending into said receptacle, a liquid fuel well arranged above said receptacle and having a valved passage arranged todischarge into said receptacle, and means for operating the valve of said passage by suction.

24-. in an internal combustion engine, the combination of an intake conduit, of a com bustion heater having a chamber connected to said conduit beyond the throttle valve, a fuel receptacle in said chamber, a fuel well arranged above said receptacle and having an outlet passage arranged to discharge into said receptacle, a valve for said outlet passage, and a pipe connection above said valve to the intake conduit beyond the engine throttle valve whereby the valve for said fuel passage is opened by suction from the engine.

25. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a combustion heater having a combustion chamber, and a fuel feeding means therefor comprising a chamber, said chamber having an inlet opening and an outlet passage extcnding to the combustion heater chamber, and said chamber having a vent, a reciprocating valve arranged in said chamberabove said vent and adapted to control said inlet opening.

26. A, combustion heater comprising a combustion chamber, means for feeding liquid fuel to said chamber, means for admitting filtered air with said fuel, means for vaporizing said liquid fuel before ignition, means for muifling air into the chamber, means for igniting the vaporized fuel and air within the chamber and means for observin action within the chamber.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

LIONEL M. WOOLSON. 

